LONDON - Queen Elizabeth will be the official starter for the 2018 London Marathon to be held on April 22, organizers announced here on Friday.

It was announced in a statement that the Queen will step onto a special podium in the grounds of Windsor Castle to push the start button at 10:00 am.

"We are deeply honoured that Her Majesty The Queen has accepted the invitation to start the 2018 London Marathon," said John Spurling, Chairman of London Marathon Events Ltd, organisers of the race. "Especially as this will happen 110 years after the 1908 Olympic Marathon was started at Windsor Castle by the then Princess Mary, grandmother to The Queen."

The 1908 marathon, the showpiece finale of the Olympic Games, was the first marathon to be held over the classic 42.195 km distance.

Princess Mary (later Queen Mary) set the runners on their way from Windsor Castle. Dorando Pietri of Italy was the first to cross the line in the White City Stadium but was subsequently disqualified as, exhausted, he had been helped across the finish by two officials. The following day Queen Alexandra, who had watched the finish, presented Pietri with a gilded silver trophy to mark his achievement.

The Pietri Trophy will be on display at the Virgin Money London Marathon Expo at ExCeL in east London from April 18-21.